Dark blue sodalite with white veins seduces with its appearance of a soft snowy night. but it is often treated with some condescension: it is often regarded as a poor relative of the magnificent lapis lazuli, whose ancient history astounds us. However, sodalite, although more restrained, may surprise us and sometimes hides miraculous powers.
Mineralogical characteristics of sodalite
In a large group of silicates, sodalite belongs to feldspathoid tectosilicates. This is a subgroup close to feldspars, but with different physical and chemical properties: the low silica content makes them much less dense minerals. They contain a lot of aluminum, hence the scientific name "aluminosilicate". In addition, sodalite is characterized by a very high sodium content combined with chlorine.
Sodalite belongs to the "overseas" family. This name indicates the non-Mediterranean origin of lapis lazuli. Lapis lazuli is a combination of several minerals. This is mainly lapis lazuli, also related to overseas, sometimes accompanied by other similar minerals: hayuine and sodalite. It also contains calcite and pyrite. Pyrite, which gives lapis lazuli its golden reflections, is very rarely present in sodalite.
Sodalite occurs in rocky, silica-poor environments formed by volcanic activity. : in igneous rocks such as syenite or ejected from volcanoes during eruptions. She is also present in meteorites. It occurs most often in the form of single grains in the rock or in massive aggregates, quite rarely in the form of individual crystals.
Sodalite colors
The most common are ornamental stones, figurines, as well as cabochon-cut or cut gemstones. light blue to dark blue, often streaked with white limestone giving a cloudy or thin look. Sodalites can also be white, pink, yellowish, greenish or reddish, rarely colorless.
Origin of sodalite
Career operations are conducted in the following countries and regions:
Canada, Ontario: Bancroft, Dungannon, Hastings. Province of Quebec: Mont-Saint-Hilaire.
USA, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, Arkansas.
Brazil, State of Ebaji: Blue Quarries of Fazenda-Hiassu in Itajo do Colonia.
Russia, Kola Peninsula east of Finland, Ural.
Afghanistan, Badakhshan Province (Hakmanit).
Burma, Mogok area (hackmanite).
India, Madhya Pradesh.
Pakistan (rare presence of crystals with pyrite).
Tasmania
Australia
Namibia (clear crystals).
West Germany, Eifel mountains.
Denmark, south of Greenland: Illymausak
Italy, Campania: Somma-Vesuvius complex
France, Cantal: Menet.
Sodalite Jewelry and Objects
sodalite tenebescence
Sodalite exhibits a rare luminescence phenomenon called tenebrescence or reversible photochromism. This characteristic is even more evident in the rose variety named hackmanite, named after the Finnish mineralogist Viktor Hackmann. Afghan hackmanite is pale pink in normal light, but turns bright pink in bright sunlight or under an ultraviolet lamp.
Placed in darkness, it retains the same brilliance for a few moments or a few days thanks to the phenomenon of phosphorescence. Then it loses its spectacular color, like a withered rose. The process is repeated for each experiment on the same sample.
The opposite is observed with Mont Saint Hilaire hackmanite in Canada: its beautiful pink color turns greenish under UV light. Some sodalites from India or Burma turn orange and take on a mauve hue when the lamps go out.
The atoms of the mineral absorb ultraviolet rays, and then miraculously return them back. This phenomenon, almost magical, very random, can be observed in some Sodalites, while others, seemingly identical and coming from the same place, do not cause it.
Other sodalites
Sodalite is sometimes called " alomit named after Charles Allom, a major quarry owner in the early XNUMXth century in Bancroft, Canada.
La ditroite it is a rock composed, among other things, of sodalite, therefore it is very rich in sodium. It owes its name to its origin: Ditro in Romania.
La molybdosodalite Italian sodalite containing molybdenum oxide (a metal used in metallurgy).
La synthetic sodalite on the market since 1975.
Etymology of the word "sodalite"
In 1811, Thomas Thomson of the Royal Society of Edinburgh gave his name to sodalite. and publishes his dissertation:
“Until now, not a single mineral has been found containing so much soda as the one referred to in these memoirs; it is for this reason that I have adopted the name by which I designate it…”
Thus the name sodalite consists of "soda("soda" in English) and "lite » (For lithos, the Greek word for stone or rock). The English word soda comes from the same medieval Latin word soda, itself from Arabic survad designation of the plant whose ash was used to produce soda. Soda, a soft drink, for its part, and for the record, the abbreviation "soda"(soda).
Sodalite in history
Sodalite in antiquity
Sodalite was discovered and described at the beginning of the XNUMXth century. But this does not mean that she was unknown before. Lapis lazuli of antiquity, used in abundance by the Egyptians and other Mediterranean civilizations, comes from the mines of Badakhshan in Afghanistan, where sodalite is still mined today.
You might think that sodalite is not particularly in demand, because in the ancient texts nothing is said about it. Pliny the Elder describes only two blue stones in this way: on the one hand, sapphire with small gold spots, which undoubtedly refers to lapis lazuli with pyrite inclusions. On the other hand, blue imitating the sky blue color of sapphire.
However, the Romans knew the varieties of sodalite very well, but this one did not have a remarkable blue color. Often greyish or greenish; this can sometimes represent a great deal of transparency. This is about Vesuvius sodalite. 17.000 years ago, the "mother" volcano La Somma collapsed and gave birth to Vesuvius. The sodalite present in the lava rejected by Vesuvius is the result of this serious processing.
The eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD, which buried Pompeii and Herculaneum, was fatal for Pliny the Elder. The naturalist writer, the victim of his indefatigable curiosity, died for coming too close to the volcano and thus sharing the fate of thousands of victims.
In the XNUMXth century, granular sodalites, identical to Vesuvian ones, were discovered on the shores of Lake Albano, not far from Rome. The mountain that surrounds this lake is definitely an ancient volcano. Takvin the Magnificent, the last king of Rome, built a temple dedicated to Jupiter around 500 BC on top of it. There are still some traces, but Mount Albano also holds other memories: this place is covered with volcanic minerals.
Livy, a Roman historian of the XNUMXst century AD, reports an event which must have happened long before him and which seems to be caused by sodalite: « the earth opened up in this place, forming a terrible abyss. Stones fell from the sky in the form of rain, the lake flooded the entire area ... .
Sodalite in pre-Columbian civilizations
In 2000 BC JC, the Caral civilization of northern Peru uses sodalite in their rituals. At the archaeological site, offerings were found consisting of fragments of sodalite, quartz and unfired clay figurines.
Much later (AD 1 to 800), The Mochica civilization left amazing gold jewelry in which sodalite, turquoise and chrysocolla form tiny mosaics. Thus, in the Larco Museum in Lima, we can see earrings depicting warrior birds in shades of blue. Others are decorated with alternating tiny gold and sodalite lizards.
Sodalite in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance
Since the XNUMXth century, lapis lazuli has been extracted from lapis lazuli to turn it into an ultramarine blue pigment. The translucent blue color of sodalite is unsuitable and therefore useless for this purpose. At present, sodalite remains very restrained.
Sodalite in the modern period
In 1806, the Danish mineralogist Carl Ludwig Giseke brought various minerals from a trip to Greenland, including the future sodalite. A few years later, Thomas Thomson also obtained samples of this mineral, analyzed them and gave it his name.
In the same era Polish Count Stanisław Dunin-Borkowski studies sodalite from Vesuvius. which he picked up on a slope called Fosse Grande. He immerses fragments of this very pure stone in nitric acid and observes that a white crust forms on their surface. Turns into powder, sodalite gels in acids.
After comparing analyzes and experience, the stone of Greenland and the stone of Vesuvius belong to the same species.
Canadian sodalite
In 1901, Mary, Princess of Wales, wife of the future George V, visited the Buffalo World's Fair and especially admired the sodalite of Bancroft, Canada's mineral capital.. Then 130 tons of stones were sent to England to decorate the princely residence of Marlborough (now the seat of the Commonwealth Secretariat). Since then, Bancroft's sodalite quarries have been referred to as "Les Mines de la Princesse".
It would seem that Sodalite's nickname "Blue Princess" was given in honor of another member of the British royal family of that time: Princess Patricia, granddaughter of Queen Victoria, especially popular in Canada. Since that time, blue sodalite has come into fashion, for example, in watchmaking it is often used for the dial of luxury watches.
Since 1961, Bancroft's careers have been open to the public. "Farm Rock" is a very beautiful place on the site. Like the farms that offer free picking of fruits and vegetables, this place allows everyone to pick sodalite at an affordable price by weight. You select and retrieve your own treasures: small collectible pieces or large items to decorate the garden. A bucket is provided, the only obligation is to have good closed shoes!
Advantages of sodalite in lithotherapy
In the Middle Ages, sodanum, probably extracted from a plant, was a soda-based remedy used against headaches. Lithotherapy finds this beneficial effect with sodalite. Helps ease thoughts, relieves unnecessary stress and guilt. By eliminating pain, it promotes meditation and harmoniously satisfies our search for the ideal and our thirst for truth.
Sodalite Benefits Against Physical Ailments
Stimulates the brain
Balances blood pressure
Regulates endocrine balance: beneficial effect on the thyroid gland, insulin production…
Reduces calcium deficiency (spasmophilia)
Soothes panic attacks and phobias
Promotes baby's sleep
Relieves pet stress
Soothes digestive disorders
Calms hoarseness
Increases vitality
Helps fight diabetes
Neutralizes electromagnetic pollution
The benefits of sodalite for the psyche and relationships
Organize the logic of thinking
Promotes concentration and meditation
Helps control emotions and hypersensitivity
Facilitates speech
Promotes self-knowledge
Restores humility or vice versa raises a sense of inferiority
Facilitates group work
Develop solidarity and altruism
Strengthens your beliefs
Sodalite is associated primarily with the 6th chakra., third eye chakra (seat of consciousness).
Purifying and Recharging Sodalite
It is perfect for spring, demineralized or just running water. Avoid salt or use it very rarely.
For recharging, without sun: prefer moonlight to recharge sodalite or place it inside an amethyst geode.
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